Jack Out of the Box: Letters to the Editor and election season

Tuesday

Mar 18, 2014 at 1:17 PM

Election year means Letters to the Editor for newspapers, especially the Daily Independent.

By Jack Barnwelljbarnwell@ridgecrestca.com

Election season has hit, with 2014 shaping up to be a pivotal midterm cycle. Many offices and seats are up at the state level, while others go unopposed.Election year also means Letters to the Editor for newspapers, especially the Daily Independent. Elections in the Indian Wells Valley become a very passionate subject, whether at the state, county or local level.The DI encourages letters to the editor during election years. They offer a perspective that differs and even contrasts with the opinion of the editorial board.That said, as the person tasked with the DI opinion section, I will keep tabs on letters during the election year.The policy is simple: No name or contact info, no ink.If we cannot ID the person who wrote the letter, then it will not run. Phone number, email and current name are all a must. Pen names, pseudonyms, or signed with just initials will not be published.I would encourage the authors of letters that are clear, concise and are worth publishing but have any of the above to seriously consider putting their names on something they took such time and effort to write. Please make sure the letters are legible (preferably typed). Those with god-awful handwriting I tend to use as a placemat.I will also draw the line at any misleading, accusatory tones that don't pass muster. Questioning how a candidate might have voted a certain way, don't agree with the politics behind the decision, or believe that the candidate has not fairly represented constituents' needs, that's fine.If something smells fishy, remember that public information laws in California (at least for now) make it extremely easy for the editorial board to compare the apples to oranges. If something doesn't synch up, I will adhere to DI editorial practice and remove it from the letter. If the whole letter is riddled with it, I have a pile labeled “rejects.” It gets recycled.Length is also an issue. As elections on June 3 and Nov. 4 get closer, more letters come in. Brevity is appreciated and encouraged. A point can be lost in letters 800 words or more. If you want to be wordy, you should have run for office.Cutoff dates. I'm not accepting any election-related letter (endorsements, criticisms, pleas of mercy, ect.) after May 27 or Oct. 28, 2014, at 5 p.m. I don't care if the letter comes via U.S. Postal Service, FedEx, or Air Force One from President Barack Obama himself after these deadlines. If someone sends it via carrier pigeon, I thank you in advance for my next meal.Candidates, if you wish to extol the virtues of your campaign or why you should be elected, please contact the DI advertising department. Want to mudsling? Please take out a television ad.If this sounds harsh, it's because I believe letters to the editor represent honest snapshots of the community. I will not pollute the DI opinion page with inaccurate letters attempting to disseminate misinformation.The bottom line: Keep it on track and own up to your letters, and I will have no problem. If not, I have no problem recycling or deleting letters.Jack Barnwell is city editor for The Daily Independent. He can be reached at jbarnwell@ridgecrestca.com or on Twitter at twitter.com/jackbarnwell.